Amaral F, Dreyer G, Figueredo-Silva J, Noroes J, Cavalcanti A, Samico S C, Santos A, Coutinho A
Hospital de Restauracao, Recife, Brasil.
Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1994 Jun;50(6):753-7. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.1994.50.753.
Ultrasonographic examination of the scrotal area was performed in 14 asymptomatic individuals with bancroftian filariasis and microfilaremia. While in seven subjects (50%) the ultrasonographic findings were normal, lymphatic dilation and tortuosity were observed in the other seven. In these vessels, structures with peculiar aleatory movements (filaria dance sign) were detected. A segment of the lymphatic tract containing these mobile intraluminal structures that was resected surgically from the left spermatic cord of one individual confirmed that these structures were living Wuchereria bancrofti adult worms (two females and one male). Our study demonstrates for the first time the feasibility of using a low-cost, widely available, noninvasive technique (ultrasonography) to detect and monitor living adult worms and lymphatic dilation in patients with bancroftian filariasis.
对14名无症状的班氏丝虫病和微丝蚴血症患者进行了阴囊区域的超声检查。7名受试者（50%）的超声检查结果正常，而另外7名则观察到淋巴管扩张和迂曲。在这些血管中，检测到具有特殊随机运动的结构（丝虫舞动征）。从一名个体的左侧精索手术切除的一段含有这些腔内可移动结构的淋巴道证实，这些结构是活的班氏吴策线虫成虫（2只雌性和1只雄性）。我们的研究首次证明了使用低成本、广泛可用的非侵入性技术（超声检查）来检测和监测班氏丝虫病患者体内活成虫和淋巴管扩张的可行性。
